Is The Hub’s “SheZow” The First Transgendered Cartoon Character For Kids?

Recently, Ben Shapiro at Breitbart.com alleged that Margeret Loesch, CEO of the Hub, the network that brought you My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and Transformers Prime, was under the influence of drugs (and “leftist”) when she greenlit the animated kids series, SheZow, which premieres on Hub this Saturday, June 1.

The “she-larious” show, which features a 12-year old boy named Guy Hamdon, who inherits a magic ring from his aunt that turns him into a female superhero named SheZow, is aimed at children aged seven and above. In the form of SheZow, Guy is gifted with superhuman abilities, a skirt, thigh high boots and a pink shapeshifting car. All triggered by the phrase, “You go girl!”

Created by Obie Scott Wade (a writer on Baby Looney Tunes) and produced by Kickstart Productions and Moody Street Kids, SheZow has been airing in Australia since December 2012, and as reported by ABC news, is picking up heat from conservative pundits like the Catholic League’s Bill Donohue who criticized the show for exposing children to gender bending at an inappropriate age. “The target audience here is not adults,” said Donohue. “The target audience are young people, many of whom may be confused about their own sexuality.”

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GLAAD spokesperson, Rich Ferraro sees it differently: “I don’t think this show is about transgender issues anymore than the Teletubbies were about gay issues, because one of the characters was purple and carried around a purse.” The Hub also denies the accusations of trans-indoctrination, commenting that, “ is a light-hearted, animated comedy, like Bugs Bunny, who could make kids laugh out loud by wearing a dress and wig.”

No one seemed to care when Ranma 1/2 sported a similar gender-bending element. Granted that most likely had a much smaller audience. But it’s just like the above reads–other famous characters have cross-dressed before to no outcries. I’m not sure if his costume is merely that of a girls or if he physically changes into a female, but either way I don’t think it matters. I’ll admit that I wish the superhero wasn’t presented with so many typically female cliches (pink, heels, lipstick, etc.) but at least she is a superhero.

Once again, adults are making a big deal out of something that I’m sure most kids would not mind at all. There’s clear comic value in this, and hopefully some room for both the characters and viewers to gain some valuable lessons on gender and empathy.

mom of 2

Some things should not be introduced to kids at such a early age, thats for later on in life. Kids have so much more to worry about today. Why for 7 year olds with such impressonable minds?

Lemanic

HUB, you are genius. As a David Bowie-fan, this is the turning point of cartoons that can only be the equivalent of him. Glorious!

Brian

Only if you ignore the host of genderbending shows and comics from Japan. They’ve been doing this since at least the 80s.

AbelSan

Ranma 1/2 already did it.

jmahon

as specified on io9, no, Guy doesn’t change genders, he is the exact same child, only wearing girl’s clothing. The idea for the show itself is pretty insipid, and portraying the girl version as the hero doesn’t somehow validate all the references to SheZow’s powers coming from “her” fashion and makeup and accessories and hilarious girly stereotypes about cattiness and jokes about feminists etc at the expense of the poor boy who has to go through such torture… but people using the show, which is very simple and benign in nature, as some sort of martyr for the progression of transgendered rights and waging it’s success or popularity as a gauge for acceptance and whatnot is just as ridiculous. The entire thing is a debacle, and the show had nothing to do with it.

It reminds me of the recent hubbub about the Disney box art version of Merida. She was drawn to resemble the 3D version as best as they could in a stylized manner like the rest of the princesses, with golden accents. However there was an uproar about how the 2D illustration was much more “sexy” or “exploitative” than the 3D version, though the illustration was at most a caricature of features Merida was known for: her round face and pear-shaped body, and restrictive dress she eventually made her own. Merida was turned into some sort of advocate symbol of “alternative” body types and natural, makeup-less looks, which Disney was spitting in the face of when they made their illustration for toys and product covers. You can have your own opinion of these two things, and I’m as socially conscious of the next person and I enjoy anything that mixes it up when it comes to challenging the norm, but people are just looking for things, now, I feel. And these new things, created during this new storm of social justice advocating, are getting the worst of it.

I can’t help but wonder about how huge of a massacre it’d be if the Little Mermaid came out today, about her unrealistic waist, big eyelashes, and the fact that she essentially wore a bikini top for half of the movie…

Even if this character was transgender (and it seems they aren’t), it wouldn’t be the first. Adventure Time’s Princess Cookie would be the first. ;)

demonvaska

Bill Donohue is an overly hysterical character who deems anything that points out problems with the Catholic church as tantamount to blasphemy. He first denied clergy abused any children in the United States or Ireland and then later claimed the victims brought it on themselves.

Ben Sharipo has made a career out of claiming everything from Hollywood is part of an insidious plot to brainwash America and went so far as to claim that ‘Sesame Street’ was packed with left-wing propaganda.

I’d say the people at The Hub can safely roll their eyes and file the complaints from these two and their friends under ‘Trash’

I’m not against the show featuring a transgendered character. I’m upset that the Hub is allowing this to air, but chickens out of airing “The 99” a show featuring Muslim superheroes.
That’s pretty unfair.

Aaron B.

Weird how “outrage” is delayed until it actually hits airwaves in someone’s own backyard. The show’s been on television since last December, but now is the time to be offended? Furthermore, the show’s early publicity stretched back a solid six to eight months before that. Again, now’s the time to be offended? Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Trevour

I think back to my own childhood, and something like this would have been hilarious had it existed back then. The concept alone is just random and silly. Honestly, I wouldn’t have even fathomed the subject of transgenderism. But, that’s just my take on it.

Deaniac

Forget any “transgender” agenda this show may or may not be pushing, the only offensive thing here is how atrocious the art style looks.

Seriously, gradient-colored Flash animation? What is this, 2003?

Roberto Severino

How about the many times that Bugs Bunny or any of the classic Warner Bros. characters cross dressed? You don’t see many people outraged by that because it was hilarious and funny done in context and I doubt any kid would have cared about sexual issues at a young age when watching those kinds of cartoons. Politicizing the issue is very pathetic in my eyes and people need to stop taking entertainment so seriously.

Scott550

Not many saw the ranma thing, not even in Japan. But it’s just one more cartoon in a sea of Japanese kiddie crap. It’s so nice when one of the RARE Japanese cartoons rises above the din with themes as mature as the best of American feature animation and film.

TheGreatWormSpirit

What?

James VanDam

I don’t see what the big deal is, it just seems like it is cross dressing and not actually switching gender. The show itself thought doesn’t look like anything special and well the powers seem really stereotypical. Big hand slap, screech, light saber lipstick. Totally Spies was more subtle than this with (Girl Power) accessory based gadgetry. I’d rather see Super Best Friends Forever and Princess Amethyst of Gemworld get their own series rather than this. But on a brighter side we are getting Steven Universe.

nevilleross

How many people remember that character enough for it to be a TV show? Not a lot compared to this new one, I’d say. And the ladies of Totally Spies were worthless compared to Kim Possible and this character.

John Paul Cassidy

Note that RANMA 1/2 wasn’t the only Asian property with a gender-bending theme; in the Philippines, there was a 1988 superhero comedy film called SHE-MAN: MISTRESS OF THE UNIVERSE!

There was also the anime series BIRDY THE MIGHTY, about a little boy who transforms into a superheroine that merged with him, ala Ultraman.

But SHEZOW is nonetheless an entertaining series! I, too, saw the SHORTY McSHORTS version of it, and I’m surprised they actually got this made as a series for kids, in spite of the political backlash it’s gotten (I knew *that* was going to happen)! And Margaret Loesch sure has changed over the years; she’s gone from hating REN & STIMPY to accepting SHEZOW! LOL!

jhalpernkitcat

I was so freaked out by that character as a child–I don’t think I even noticed the transgender/transexual behavior of that character.

Shazbot

Sure you did. That’s why he freaked you out. Can we have a little honesty here, folks?

jhalpernkitcat

I am being honest. I was freaked out the most by his voice, which could be sickening sweet half the time, and at other times suddenly go into an extremely dark menacing tone.

Also don’t forget “Speed Demon” the episode in which the girls accidentally speed into a future version of an apocalyptic Townsville where Him reigns supreme over it all. That entire episode was pure nightmare fuel–especially that terrifying transformation sequence where you thought Him couldn’t possibly get any more frightening…

wow rude

Honesty time: Don’t assume that every person was inherently afraid of HIM just because he had trans* behaviors

I was a kid when this aired, so from first hand I can say it had nothing to do with his gender. It wasn’t something I ever thought about.

He was terrifying because of his creepy, drawling voice. Every episode that involved HIM always had creepy undertones and elements that were nightmarish. Things that were entirely separate from the blurry gender line.

jhalpernkitcat

That’s exactly the reason I was so disturbed by HIM, Thank you for perfectly hitting the nail on the head.

jhalpernkitcat

When I was a kid, there was a show where a character who looked suspiciously like the devil constantly dressed and acted like a woman, while at other times behaved and acted as a man-all the while showing off his fabulously large red ass. There were no complaints whatsoever.

This seems pretty harmless–and the theme song is rather catchy.

SarahJesness

I remember rewatching The Powerpuff Girls a little while ago (my FAVORITE show as a child) for the first time in years. Made me realize how weird the show was. Seriously, what was up with Him? And why didn’t I think anything of it when I was a kid? (could it be that kids don’t care about this stuff? Shock of all shocks.)

Funkybat

I just remember thinking that it was interesting that one of the Girls’ major antagonists appeared to be a cross-gender Satan. I kept expecting there to be some kind of outcry from the “think of the children!” set, but I guess Powerpuff Girls fell outside of their awareness. Or maybe they liked the idea that a queer-looking character was also clearly fashioned after the Devil…

Mpache

Adventure time srtated clean and tidy and it gradually grew edgier, when nobody paid attention.

Yet, I don’t think adventure time is that edgy.

James Fox

Ladies and Gentlemen, We’re repeating the Life of Brian’s outcry

Ben

Did you not watch Mulan.

MarkusL

Is there big difference to Superman in tights?

Evan English

I think the straight answer to this article’s question is “no.” There’s been crossdressing in cartoons since the golden age.

Animator606432

Jesus, these up-tight groups will make a fuss out of ANYTHING.I never understood the whole idea that transgender people “confuse children.” When I was around 5 or 6, my Mother explained what transgender person was and I was perfectly able to understand what it was. All this is showing are that these group have a clear prejudice against those who don’t live a lifestyle the believe is acceptable. I’m glad the Hub is no longer caving into groups like this anymore. We shouldn’t let minority groups of jerks deem what are children should see and what they shouldn’t. Let that be a personal matter of the child’s parent.

nevilleross

When I was around 5 or 6, my Mother explained what transgender person was and I was perfectly able to understand what it was.

Your mom wasn’t a Christian fundie, that’s why. The people who are against this show are Christian fundies who can’t stand the idea that a child can like girl’s thing or boy’s things simultaneously, so they’re against this (the 50 fundies that make up Focus On The Family/One Million Moms, anyway.)

Animator606432

Well, my Mother and I are both Christians (neither of us being creationist or fundamentalist) though so maybe that’s why. She always taught me about equality and accepting everyone for who they are. When groups do things like this, they teach intolerance and hatred. And like you said, that a child can’t like something their sex isn’t stereotypical supposed to enjoy.

Yes, but it seemed to go a lot further than a simple cross dressing gag. When Bugs Bunny did it, he did it to trick his enemies for a few minutes or until he accidentally gave himself away.

When the Red Guy dressed as a woman–it was his actual identity for most of–sometimes the entire episode. While the audience clearly knew it was him, he never actually dropped the disguise. Also, when he played a monarch he was often referred to as “The King and Queen of” and wore a half pink and half blue crown.

Chris Sobieniak

Though from the looks of it, kids in parts of Europe and Latin America had no problems with Ranma 1/2 anyway. It’s us who are prudes!

I say they crank it up. It’s people like Ben Shapiro and Bill Donahue (and GLAAD when they whine, sorry liberals, no sacred cows.) that motivate my art. All the work and resources it takes to make even just a 5 minute animation only to have people who I can almost guarantee contribute absolutely nothing artistically to the world try to counter all that by ranting and whining. Even if the show’s not that good, somebody was probably in good faith trying to contribute something good to the world, and many worked a hell of a lot of hours to try and make it work. And that’s a few far steps above a whiner. Since they (the whiners) choose to waste their resources on what I ironically consider to be “soulless garbage”, that soulless garbage ought to be fuel for my story furnace.

Roberto Severino

Couldn’t have said it any better myself! Some people need to really grow up. The crap cartoons only motivate us to try to strive to do better.

Inkan1969

Here’s the background on “She-Zow”. The title refers to the Shorty McShorts pilot shown on the Disney Channel.

To many people, the distinctions between transgendered, cross-dressing, or even bisexual and gay are too “subtle” for them to grasp. It’s all just some kind of gender-bending ickyness that makes them feel bad or afraid or angry, and they want to either lock it away in a rainbow-colored box that gets buried in the back of the closet, or they wish “it” destroyed.

I have found that, the more you learn about different sexual and gender orientations, and the more you get to know the actual people who have such orientations, the less it matters to you one way or another. At this point in my life, finding out someone is gay or transgendered most often elicits a shrug.

Matthew Lamont

Dear The Hub,

To quote Carlos Mencia,

“DEE DEE DEEEEE!!!!!”

You are like the Yes-Man Network, because you take any idea (no matter how off-color it is), and you approve it.

1st DAN VS. which somehow teaches folks to approach their harmless problems (that end up getting demonized) in an angry and destructive manner. It promotes bullying. It teaches the art of being ungrateful and careless. This is too negative for a kids/family show. It should be left unmade from conception. Only CommonSenseMedia.org said “Keep away from the kids.”

2nd SHEZOW.

What next a cartoon series based on HUMAN CENTIPEDE?
Wrap your brain around that! I dare you. It is family unfriendly.

Don’t you hate it when parents endanger their children into being exposed to certain lengths of negativity and watching cartoons that happen to be eye-sores and messed up story-lines like the ones you see on Cartoon Network.

On the bright side, at least SHEZOW has good character designs and the storyline is not messed up. Also, it is positive.

Whether or not Cookie is transgendered, feeling more comfortable in a role not generally given to your sex, attempting suicide due to the pain of not being able to live in that role, and eventually finding acceptance is something a lot of trans people can relate to. The episode certainly played as an “It Gets Better” message to me.

Riu Tinubu

Yeah that’s all good, his themes and trials fit the bill, he’s just not the transgendered character the original poster was implying. It’s a bit awkward that he ends up in a mental home though.

I don’t think that fuss was from right-wingers so much as the studio trying to cover its ass to prevent such controversy.

Of course, they’ve recently flat-out stated Peppermint Butler has had at least one same-sex attraction, so who knows where they’re gonna go in the future.

D C Mahler

(I really hate seeing those nit picky comments, never thought I’d be posting one…)
Is this in regards to Braco? Because from memory the only reason Peppermint Butler was attracted to him (in the one episode…) was due to some black magic Braco allowed to be cast on him, a spell to make everyone fall in love with him. Played for gags, briefly. Also just re the Marceline/PB thing, the in episode banter was so vague that it could have referred to a friendship just as much as a relationship. The real controversy came when the Cartoon Network, or Frederator or whatever post-episode-wrap podcast directly alluded to the concept, supported with a few fan shipping pics no doubt sourced from the plethora of AT fan tumblrs…

Just to confirm, I’m gay, and totally support diversity in cartoons, but yeah, I think the AT stuff is a bit of a stretch at times (can’t deny some of the more blatant allusions in other episodes (to much more than just LGBTQI (lol, freaking acronyms :P) concerns) but in these two scenarios, yeah…nah…)

NOW. In regards to SheZow. Would be awesome to see some transgender/feminist issues addressed maturely in cartoons. Kids aren’t stupid. They can deal with these concerns, in a much more open and considerate manner to many stoic adults. I knew I was gay from early childhood, without a doubt. A friend of mine, who was born a girl, explained a similar story – knew he was born different from a young age. It would be great to see a show with a trans character, however, when taking into account the small portion of the population who self-identifies as such, it just doesn’t seem too sensible economically…sad truth, as animation is an industry. Independently produced youtube series? Heck yeah, totally realistic!

I really hate how critics blast non-cist characters claiming they are ‘poor role models’ who will no doubt corrupt the youth by infesting them with alternative notions…it’s not like every single character that has ever been on television was a role model! Sometimes they’re just entertainment!

PS, sorry to rubi-kun who I replied this to, I’m sure this rant (which started as a one sentence response…) surely would have served better as a stand alone post? No offence intended ;)

thesnappysneezer

it was marketed as a video game for the SNES in the US which introduced me and many other kids to it via the bargain bins at KMart.

Chris Sobieniak

I bet! For the record, that game was “Ranma 1/2: Hard Battle” for the SNES. I’m sure plenty of kids probably also got curious to check out one or two episodes of the series as those tapes often were in video stores as well.

Oh yes, that is just what I did. I now have the entire series on dvd, the only one that long running I have done this with aside from Voltron though I have other shorter lived anime.

I think the game may be responsible for sparking the interest of a lot of the US fanbase and I was dismayed at the time that it wasn’t on regular tv. Ranma was my first anime that I did not see on Saturday morning or weekday afternoons.

thesnappysneezer

he seems to be still a guy, just in the outfit and makeup when the power comes on. There was an initial reaction but I’m a guy but then he got the chance to drive the cool car. I do not think he really becomes a girl, at least not from the pilot.

Kitschensyngk

I’ve seen the promos. For all I know, it could be a superheroine story centered on a boy who’s still at that age where he finds girls icky.

sam wilson

I haven’t seen the show, but it seems to me that shows where the humour comes from a male character being forced to do obviously female things, assuming that they are just naturally wrong, is the opposite of a pro-transgender show. A pro-transgender show would show that peoples gender exists on a continuum, and would show a boy that wanted to be a girl rather than forcing him to be. By ridiculing the idea of mixing gender concepts they just perpetuate normal gender ideas

pau

so punk song

Roberto Severino

I would specifically call them neoconservative because of the sort of events that changed the entire movement in the 1970s and early 1980s, but yes, they do have completely stupid reasons for wanting to resort to censorship. The comedian Jim Norton made a brilliant tweet regarding this subject here that I agree with completely.

Not trying to get political, but just saying that Jim had a point and that nothing about censorship or the groups that support it is black and white or myopic.

ARMORMAN

Y’know, I call myself a conservative. I just shake my head at the stupidity on both labelled sides of the isle (anyone remember the outrage over the autobot twins on the second Transformers movie?). Once upon a time in America, this was called comedy….especially to a kid. One aspect of comedy is laughing at another’s misfortune. A boy inherits superpowers? That’s cool. A boy inherits superpowers, but has to dress as a girl to use them? That’s comedy!

mick

The way these characters react they must have zero faith in anyone’s ability NOT to be swayed by whatever appears in front of their eyes. If any child sees this show then decides to be sexually ambiguous as a result then I’ll give everyone 370 pounds. What is the aim of these twits, to ban everything that leans anywhere away from the exact middle? Bland and postive… I think they are confusing cartoons with natural yogurt

Juan Huarte

I love it, and why a show like this should’nt exist??

D C Mahler

no doubt! no we’re just geeking out, but the bubble episode?? oh maaaaan!

ChuckD

You might as well throw Red from Cow and Chicken in there, too. Remember that episode where I.R. Baboon had kids with her…him? That was comedic GOLD!

Robotechie

Back in 1985, there was a serial cartoon series called Robotech. It aired nationwide, unlike Ranma or other similar anime series. It featured a cross-dressing character, interracial couple, love, death, war, strong female characters, up/down relationships, more real life issues than cartoons then or since. Surprisingly, the interracial couple Roy & Claudia was a bigger deal than the cross-dressing character Lancer. You can watch the entire series now on YouTube & Hulu. A new movie featuring the cross-dressing character Lancer is being released on DVD in July.

It’s funny cuz it’s a dude in a dress, end of controversy. If this is a problem for the right in the states, they REALLY need to re-evaluate their priorities.

Josh

I’m concerned about the quality of the animation more than a guy wearing a dress.

Ron

If it wasn’t meant to pollute kids they wouldn’t play it on Saturday morning when most kids are watching cartoons. If
it quacks like a duck… and looks like a duck…. my rule of thumb
is… it is a duck… don’t piss on me and tell me its rain. Its all
fine and well if adult people want to watch the show, just movie it to a
more appropriate time and problem solved… I find it so funny how
people say, “Well if you don’t like it, control your kids…” Saturday morning cartoons used to be
for kids… they should be able to wake up, grab a bowl of cereal and
enjoy a few cartoons without being exposed to the whims of some adult
pushing a lifestyle on them. I see all these people posting about anime
and such, but most anime is not for Saturday morning kids cartoon time
either… Why do people choose to try and feed this kind of hog wash to
kids… you can do what you want as an adult… live anyway you
choose… but feeding this type of nonsense to kids is unacceptable. And
don’t even try to compare bugs bunny to this shezow junk.. Not even the
same thing… Bugs isn’t pushing an agenda. He was usually trying to elude Elmer…

DarklingDragon

Every generation always complains about how dumb new animation is compared to what they watched as a kid, when in fact every generation is filled with dumb (and good) shows.

I finally watched the first episode to see if the presumptions were true.
There is no agenda here, just people reading between the lines and filling in the blanks. It’s just like people who complained on the news and media that The Secret World of Arrietty was a movie that forced a feminism agenda on kids.

Shezow is a comedy show about a kid who finds a super-powered ring that belonged to his aunt, which in turn gives him her super-powered suit. There’s no gender bending. He doesn’t grow boobs and starts talking about wanting to be a female instead of a male. In fact, a lot of the jokes are at the expense of stereotypes and puns.

Also, when I was a kid and watched Saturday morning cartoons there was plenty of stuff a lot worse than this and it goes decades back. I’m not just talking about Bugs Bunny and cross dressing either. Shaggy and Scoob, Cybersix, George Jetson, Woody Woodpecker, Pleakly from Lilo and Stitch, Jerry, and Mulan are just a few examples of cartoon characters crossdressing. Probably what happened is you didn’t pay attention to more than one or two shows as a kid. Then, as you grew older and became a parent, somewhere along the way you lost your sense humor and freedom and became enmeshed in polarized politics.

James Fox

I just saw “SheZow!” and i have to say to hell with Breitbart
even though i’m a conservative (the independent sort) – I liked it
It’s merely a campy show and a fun one at that

Jacob Johnson

my take on the show after watching it is…..well kinda sucked. a bunch of bad she puns and cookie cutter writing with puppet flash animation. just really didnt bring anything to the table for me. if it continues down the same path i dont see it lasting long. i wish it the best as the concept has potential but it just lacks that pull that a good toon needs. at least thats my two cents

George Comerci

I dont think its an issue, the show just sounds a little too aimed towards girls…but the show itself looks cool

nevilleross

In love with G.I. Joe and Transformers, I’ll bet.

nevilleross

It would be one thing if only religious neocons were offended, but most feminists are that conservative when it comes to body issues as well (check out the fury over Carol Marcus being looked at by James T. Kirk in her undies in the new Star Trek movie.) Both sides feed into each other, and need to cool it.

Aaron c

No it’s not the first if you look back from cartoon Network during the beginning of Bugs Bunny is one example and if you look closely on guy he does not have any true identification of female parts it’s just the dress and the hair and make up this also helps to not find out is true identity for the criminals and others and this is just cartoons and kids can do whatever they want to do but everyone has their own opinion here’s something to know don’t let it go to far and if they start putting on a girls wig, dress and makeup and fingernail polish and other girl stuff watch out and keep a close eye out for them especially if they are around the age of 9 to 14 or above